Optical recording/reproducing method, system, and program

ABSTRACT

A data recording/reproducing system ( 1 ) reads a recording signal written on a recording track of a recording medium ( 3 ), by using light, which is modulated by a drive signal wherein a frequency signal is superposed for scanning the signal along the recording track at a prescribed scanning speed. Then, the system reproduces the read signal as data. The data recording/reproducing system is provided with a computer ( 13 ) for controlling the superposition frequency of the frequency signal for the drive signal corresponding to the scanning speed, and an LD driver ( 17 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods, systems, and programs forreproducing data optically recorded on a recording medium, such as a CD(Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a Blu-ray Disc, a HD(High Definition) DVD, or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

Optical recording/reproducing systems are designed to irradiate a laserbeam to a recording medium, such as a CD, a DVD, or a next generationDVD (Blu-ray DISC or HD DVD). This writes, into the recording medium,data to be written as a recorded signal by a state change in a recordinglayer of the recording medium due to the heat of the irradiated laserbeam. The optical recording/reproducing systems are also designed toreproduce data corresponding to a beam reflected from a plurality ofrecorded marks (also referred to as “recorded pits”) constituting therecorded signal. Such optical recording/reproducing systems have rapidlybecome common as data recording/reproducing systems.

In such a data recording/reproducing system, an acceleration of a linearvelocity of the laser beam from 1× to 2×, . . . , 32× allows a rate ortime of reproduction and/or recording to be reduced. The linear velocityrepresents a velocity of a laser beam travelling on a medium duringrecording and/or reproducing.

In such a data recording/reproducing system designed set forth above, asingle-mode laser with a comparatively low operating current is used asa light source; this single-mode laser has a single longitudinal mode. Alaser light outputted from a single-mode laser has very high coherency.For this reason, for reproducing data, it is required to maintain, at ahigh level, a ratio of a laser beam to noise, that is, CNR (Carrier toNoise Ratio); this noise may cause power fluctuations in a laser lightoutputted from the single-mode laser.

The noise that fluctuates the power of a laser beam includes externalfeedback noise and laser noise. The external feedback noise is due tointerference with optical feedback from a recording medium and/oroptical components. The laser noise is due to the fluctuations intemperature

As described above, data writing (data recording) into a recordingmedium is carried out by a state change in a recording layer of therecording medium due to the heat of an irradiated laser beam. For thisreason, there is a limit to the power of the irradiated laser beamduring reproduction from the standpoint of the prevention ofdeterioration of the recording layer

In this respect, Patent Documents 1 and 2 change an optical couplingefficiency, which is a ratio of the quantity of part of a laser beamfocused on a recording medium to the total of the laser beam to beirradiated from an optical source, according to its mode (recordingmode/reproducing mode), the kind of the recording medium and/or itsrecording layer (single layer/multiple layer). This can maintain the CNRat a higher level while reducing the power of the irradiated laser beam.

As another method for reducing the external feedback noise, as disclosedin Patent Document 3, a high-frequency current of the order of hundredsof megahertz is superimposed on a drive current (direct current) for alaser beam outputted from a single-mode laser so that the outputtedlaser beam flashes (on and off). This changes the longitudinal mode ofthe laser beam to a multimode. This method will be referred to as“high-frequency superimposing method” hereinafter.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-260272

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-196880

Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-346823

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a relationship between recorded signalswritten to a part of a recording track and the waveform of a laser beamoutput obtained by the high-frequency superimposing. Note that the runlength (mark length) of a recorded signals along a recording track iscommonly modulated. However, in FIG. 1, to facilitate the description,the recorded signals each with a minimum run length are written to apart of the recording track. The part of the recording track is linearlydeveloped in the track direction.

In addition, in FIG. 1, an intermittent high-frequency current in theform of a sine wave with its positive duty (on-duty) being less than 50%is used as the high-frequency current.

When a reproducing linear velocity is increased so that the timerequired for the minimum run length of a recorded signal to pass througha scanning position of the laser beam approaches the period of theintermittent high-frequency current, as illustrated in FIG. 1, therecorded signal may pass through the scanning position of the laser beamin a high-frequency current off period, in other words, a laser-beam offperiod, making it difficult to read the recorded signal.

The present invention has been made in light of the circumstancesprovided above, and has an object of reliably reading a signal recordedin a recording medium to reproduce data corresponding to the recordedsignal even if a reproducing linear velocity is increased.

Means for Solving the Problems

A first aspect of the present invention is an opticalrecording/reproducing system for reading a recorded signal written to arecording track of a recording medium by light. The light is modulatedby a drive signal on which a frequency signal is superimposed. The lightis scanned along the recording track at a predetermined scan velocity.The optical recording/reproducing system includes a superimpositionmagnitude control unit that controls, based on the scan velocity, asuperimposed magnitude of the frequency signal on the drive signal.

A second aspect of the present invention is a program readable by acomputer installed in an optical recording/reproducing system. Theoptical recording/reproducing system reads a recorded signal written toa recording track of a recording medium by light. The light is modulatedby a drive signal on which a frequency signal is superimposed. The lightis scanned along the recording track at a predetermined scan velocity.The program instructs the computer to execute an operation to control,based on the scan velocity, a superimposed magnitude of the frequencysignal on the drive signal.

A third aspect of the present invention is an opticalrecording/reproducing method for reading a recorded signal written to arecording track of a recording medium by light. The light is modulatedby a drive signal on which a frequency signal is superimposed. The lightis scanned along the recording track at a predetermined scan velocity.The optical recording/reproducing method includes controlling, based onthe scan velocity, a superimposed magnitude of the frequency signal onthe drive signal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an example of a relationship betweenrecorded marks written to a part of a recording track and the waveformof a laser beam output obtained by high-frequency superimposing;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of the datarecording/reproducing system according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a relationship between two intermittenthigh-frequency currents to be superimposed on a drive current from anAPC circuit illustrated in FIG. 2 and laser-beam outputs from an LD unitillustrated in FIG. 2; these laser-beam outputs correspond to therespective intermittent high-frequency currents;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a graph representing one example relationship betweenreproducing linear-velocity variation and error-rate variation obtainedby reproducing data recorded on a Blu-ray Disc used as a recordingmedium illustrated in FIG. 2 with the use of operations in steps S10 toS16 illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a third embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a fourth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a fifth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of the datarecording/reproducing system according to the fifth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a relationship between two intermittenthigh-frequency currents to be superimposed on a drive current from anAPC circuit illustrated in FIG. 9 and laser-beam outputs from an LD unitillustrated in FIG. 9; these laser-beam outputs correspond to therespective intermittent high-frequency currents;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a sixth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 13 is a graph representing one example relationship betweenreproducing linear-velocity variation and error-rate variation obtainedby reproducing data recorded on a Blu-ray Disc used as a recordingmedium illustrated in FIG. 9 with the use of operations in steps S50 toS53 illustrated in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a seventh embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of a datarecording/reproducing system according to an eighth embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 16 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an example ofoperations to be carried out by a computer of a datarecording/reproducing system according to a modification of the fifth toeighth embodiments of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERS

-   -   1, 1A Data recording/reproducing system    -   3 Recording medium    -   5 Optical pickup unit    -   7 Power adjusting unit    -   9 Servo driver    -   11 Record and reproduction data processing unit    -   13 Computer    -   13 a First memory    -   13 b Second memory    -   15 Laser diode unit    -   17, 17A Laser diode driver    -   19 Light control element    -   21 Beam splitter    -   23 Stand-up mirror    -   25 Spindle motor    -   27 Objective lens    -   29 Actuator    -   30 Receiver    -   31 Monitor photo diode;    -   33 Amplifier    -   35 Sample-hold circuit    -   37 APC circuit    -   38 LC driver    -   41 Interface    -   43 Buffer    -   45 Modulator and demodulator    -   49 Digital signal processor

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter withreference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a datarecording/reproducing system 1 according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 3 represents a recording medium including,for example, a disc-like protective layer and a disc-like recordinglayer including spiral or concentric recording tracks. For example, asthe recording medium 3, a CD, a DVD, a Blu-ray Disc, a HD DVD, or thelike can be used.

The data recording/reproducing system 1 according to the firstembodiment has a function of recording information on the recordingtracks of the recording medium 3 rotating at a desired velocity and afunction of reproducing information recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3.

For example, in the First embodiment, the recording tracks, as onestructural example, include at least one of lands and groovesalternately arranged in a radial direction. The at least one of thelands and grooves are wobbled at a predetermined frequency, and part ofthe at least one of the lands and grooves is for example phase-modulatedto include information such as address informant of the recordingtracks.

Specifically, the data recording/reproducing system 1 is equipped withan optical pickup unit (optical head unit) 5 for recording/reproducinginformation on/from the recording tracks of the rotating recordingmedium 3 by irradiating a light spot on the recoding tracks. The datarecording/reproducing system 1 is equipped with a power adjusting unit 7for adjusting power of the irradiated light on the recording medium 3.

The data recording/reproducing system 1 is also equipped with a servodriver 9 as a servo-control system for carrying out: rotating-velocitycontrols of the recording medium 3, focus-position controls of the spotbeam to be irradiated on the recording tracks of the recording medium 3by the optical pickup unit 5, and tracking controls of the beam spotwith respect to the recording tracks.

Moreover, the data recording/reproducing system 1 is equipped with arecord and reproduction data processing unit 11 having a function ofproducing data (referred to as “record data” hereinafter) correspondingto information to be recorded on the recording medium 3 and a functionof producing data (referred to as “reproduction data” hereinafter)corresponding to information recorded on the recording medium 3.

The data recording/reproducing system 1 is equipped with a computer 13that controls the optical pickup unit 5, the power adjusting unit 7, theservo driver 9, and the record and reproduction data processing unit 11.

The computer 13 includes a first memory 13 a, such as a HDD (Hard DiscDrive), a FLASH MEMORY, or the like, for storing therein datarepresenting processed results and the like, and a second memory 13 bserving as a main memory of the computer 13 for storing therein aplurality of programs P loaded from the first memory 13 a. The pluralityof programs P cause the computer 13 to carry out the control operations.

Referring to FIG. 2, the optical pickup unit 5 includes a laser diode(LD) unit 15, an LD driver 17, and a light control element 19. The LDunit 15 irradiates a laser beam as light for information recordingand/or information reproducing. The LD driver 17 controls the waveformof the laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15. The light controlelement 19 serves as an element for adjusting the quantity of the laserbeam outputted from the LD unit 15. The light control element 19 is madeup of a liquid crystal device with a light transmittance that changeswith change in an applied voltage from a LC (Light Control) driverdescribed hereinafter.

For example, in the first embodiment, the LD unit 15 and the lightcontrol element 19 of the optical pickup unit 5 are arranged such thatthe optical axis of the laser beam guided by the components 15 and 19 isparallel to the surface of the protective layer of the recording medium3.

Note that, in the first embodiment, the light control element 19 has thelight transmittance of a substantially 100% (decay rate of 0%) in aninitial condition

The optical pickup unit 5 also includes a beam splitter 21 disposed onan optical path of the laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 andtransferred through the light control element 19. The beam splitter 21is operative to transmit therethrough the laser beam travelling throughthe light control element 19 and to reflect a light beam sent from astand-up mirror described hereinafter.

The optical pickup unit 5 further includes a stand-up mirror 23 arrangedon an optical path of the laser beam passing through the beam splitter21. The stand-up mirror 23 is configured to reflect the laser beampassing through the beam splitter 21 in a direction perpendicular to theoptical axis of the passing laser beam toward the recording medium 3.

The optical pickup unit 5 includes a spindle motor 25. The spindle motor25 supports the recording medium 3 such that the recording medium 3faces the stand-up mirror 23 and the optical axis of the laser beamreflected by the stand-up mirror 23 is orthogonal to the surface of theprotective layer of the recording medium 3. The spindle motor 25 alsorotatably drives the recording medium 3.

The optical pickup unit 5 includes an objective lens 27 interposedbetween the stand-up mirror 23 and the protective layer of the recordingmedium 3. The objective lens 27 is operative to focus the laser beamreflected by the stand-up mirror 23 onto a recording track of therecording medium 3 to thereby irradiate the laser beam thereto as a spotbeam.

The optical pickup unit 5 includes an actuator 29. The actuator 29 isallowed to move the objective lens 27 in at least a radial direction ofthe recording medium 3 and a direction close to and away from therecording medium 3. The actuator 29 is electrically connected to theservo driver 9. The actuator 29 is configured to move the objective lens27 under control of the servo driver 9 to thereby adjust a focusingposition and a tracking position of the beam spot.

The objective lens 27 is operative to, during reproduction, receivelight reflected from a recording track of the recording medium 3 and tooutput the received light as a parallel beam with a predetermined beamdiameter. The stand-up mirror 23 is operative to reflect the reflectedbeam transferred through the objective lens 27 so as to transfer thereflected beam to the beam splitter 21.

The beam splitter 21 works to reflect the reflected beam transferredfrom the stand-up mirror 23.

The optical pickup unit 5 includes a receiver 30. The receiver 30 isarranged on the optical path of the reflected beam reflected by the beamsplitter 21. The receiver 30 receives the reflected beam and convertsthe received beam into an electric signal (referred to as “RF signal”hereinafter).

The power adjusting unit 7 includes a monitor photodiode, referred to as“monitor diode”, 31 and an amplifier 33. The monitor diode 31 isarranged on an optical path of a laser beam outputted from a backsurface in a package of the LD unit 15; this back surface is opposite toa normal output end of the LD unit 15. The laser beam outputted from theback will be referred to as “backside laser beam”. The backside laserbeam has the same power as that of the laser beam outputted from thenormal output terminal of the LD unit 15.

The monitor diode 31 continuously monitors the power (intensity) of thebackside laser beam and outputs the result of the monitoring as amonitor signal (monitor electric signal, such as a monitor current).

The amplifier 33 is electrically connected to the monitor diode 31. Theamplifier 33 amplifies the monitor signal outputted from the monitordiode 31.

The amplifier 33 is electrically connected to the computer 13. Thecomputer 13 is allowed to monitor the power of the laser beam irradiatedon the recording medium 3 based on the monitor signal amplified by theamplifier 33 and the actually set light transmittance of the lightcontrol element 19.

The power adjusting unit 7 includes a sample-hold circuit (S/H) 35electrically connected to the amplifier 33 and the computer 13. Thesample-hold circuit 35 is operative to sample a value of the monitorsignal outputted from the amplifier 33 and to hold the sampled valueduring the execution of APC (Automatic Power Control) by the computer13.

The power adjusting unit 7 also includes an APC circuit 37 electricallyconnected to the sample-hold circuit 35 and the LD driver 17. During theexecution of the APC by the computer 13, the APC circuit 37 is operativeto control a driving current from the LD driver 17 to the LD unit 15based on the sampled and held value of the monitor signal by thesample-hold circuit 35 such that:

the sampled and held value of the monitor signal is substantiallymatched with a predetermined value corresponding to a predeterminedpower level of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3.

This carries out feedback control of the output waveform of the laserbeam outputted from the LD unit 15 including the putout power level.

The power adjusting unit 7 includes a light control element driver (LDdriver) 38. Under control of the computer 13, the LC driver 38 works tocontrol a voltage to be applied therefrom to the light control element13 to thereby control the light transmittance of the light controlelement 19.

The record and reproduction data processing unit 11 includes aninterface 41 that receives record data (bit-string data) inputted from aconnection device during recording. The record and reproduction dataprocessing unit 11 includes a buffer 43 electrically connected to theinterface 41 and operative to hold the record data received by theinterface 41. The record and reproduction data processing unit 11includes a modulator and demodulator 45 electrically connected to thebuffer 43. Each of the interface 41, buffer 43, and modulator anddemodulator 45 is electrically connected to the computer 13. Theoperations of each of the interface 41, the buffer 43, and the modulatorand demodulator 45 are configured to be controlled by the computer 13.

The modulator and demodulator 45 is operative to, during recording,append an error-correcting code, such as a PI (Parity Inner) correctingcode and/or a PO (Parity Outer) correcting code to the record datastored in the buffer 43 for each predetermined unit of the record data.In the first embodiment, the modulator and demodulator 45 is operativeto, during recording, append the error-correcting code to the recorddata for each ECC (Error Correction Code) block of the record data.

Note that the ECC block represents a unit of data to be stored in therecording medium 3.

For example, the recording medium 3 according to the first embodiment isa DVD, the ECC block is configured by 280 rows of 182 bytes each. 280rows consist of 192 rows and 16 rows of the PO correcting code, and 182bytes consist of 172 bytes of data and 10 bytes of the PI connectingcode. Specifically, 12 rows of 172 bytes constitutes one data frame, and16 date frames constitute one ECC block.

For example, in the first embodiment, the recode data of each data frameof each ECC block to which the error-correcting code has been appendedis converted into a signal according to a clock (wobble clock) with awobble frequency of the recording tracks such that the signal is changedfrom a high level to a low level or the low level to the high level ateach bit of “1” of the record signal. The wobble clock is extracted froma wobble signal obtained by scanning the wobbled recording tracks by thecomputer 13.

The converted data, such as NRZI data (Non Return to Zero Inverted)data, corresponds to recorded signals (recorded marks, recorded pits) tobe written to the record tracks of the recording medium 3.

Note that, in the first embodiment, a bit length (run length orrecorded-signal length) of the NRZI data until its edge changesdepending on an encoding or the like. For example, the bit lengths ofthe NRZI data are set to be NT. The reference character N variesdepending on the type of the recording medium 3. For example, when therecording medium 3 is a DVD, the N is set to be equal to or greater than3, and when the recording medium 3 is a Blu-ray Disc, the N is set to beequal to or greater 2. The reference character T represents the periodof the wobble clock.

Specifically, in the first embodiment, on a recording track of therecording medium 3, the laser beam, which has a power level on therecording medium 3 being automatically feedback-controlled to arecording power level and has a modulated output waveform, such as amultipulse-modulated output waveform, is irradiated. This allowsrecorded signals corresponding to respective run length of the NRZI datato be written onto a recording track of the recording medium 3.

The output-waveform control (multipulse control) of the laser beam iscalled “Write Strategy”, Proper setting of the width of each ofindependent multi-pulses of the output waveform of the laser beamaccording to the power level of the laser beam on the recording medium 3prevents deterioration of the recorded signals that results fromcontinuous irradiation of a laser beam with a constant power level.

During reproduction, the LD driver 17 has a function F L The function F1is to control the drive current (direct current) based on a powercontrol command sent from the APC circuit 37. The function F1 is also tosuperimpose, on the drive current, an intermittent high-frequencycurrent of the order of hundreds of megahertz with an amplitude; thisamplitude is set thereby according to a superimposition control commandindicative of a superimposed magnitude of current on the drive currentsent from the computer 13. The function F1 is further to provide theintermittent high-frequency current to the LD unit 15 to thereby drivethe LD unit 15. For example, the intermittent high-frequency current isin the form of a sine wave with its positive duty (on-duty) being lessthan 50%. The function F1 allows the LD unit 15 to output thehigh-frequency superimposed laser beam having the on-duty less than 50%.

In contrast, when it is determined that no intermittent high-frequencycurrent is superimposed, the LD driver 17 provides the controlled drivecurrent to the LD unit 15 to thereby drive it. This results in that theLD unit 15 outputs the laser beam with a controlled output power level.

Note that such operations of the LD driver 17 will be described indetail hereinafter.

Light reflected from a corresponding recorded signal based on theirradiated laser beam is detected through the receiver 30 as the RFsignal by operations of the optical pickup unit 5.

The modulator and demodulator 45, during reproduction, has a functionof:

amplifying the RF signal obtained by the receiver 30; and

producing a wobble-modulated signal, a tracking error signal indicativeof an error caused by the tracking control, and a focusing error signalcaused by the focusing control.

The modulator and demodulator 45 also has a function of demodulating(decoding) reproduction data (bit-string data) from the RF signal. Thedemodulated playback data is sent to the computer 13. The computer 13carries out an error detecting task, a determining task to determinewhether a detected error is allowed to be corrected, a correcting taskto carry out error-correction when it is determined that the detectederror is allowed to be corrected. The reproduction data after thecorrection task is stored in the buffer 43 by the computer 13.

The interface 41 works to, during reproduction, output the reproductiondata stored in the buffer 43 to an information output device connectedto the interface 41 under control of the information output device.

To the computer 13, an input unit 47 is connected. The input unit 47 isallowed to input, to the computer 13, various pieces of information andinstructions including: setting information of a linear velocity of therecording medium 3, an executive instruction of an ECC-block defectivedetermining and registering task, and an executive instruction of atest-writing. The linear velocity represents a velocity of a laser beamtraveling on a medium during recording and/or reproducing, such as 1×,2×, . . . , 32×.

To the computer 13 and the servo driver 9, a DSP (Digital SignalProcessor) 49 is connected. The DSP 49 is allowed to send, to the servodriver 9, a linear-velocity command. The linear-velocity commandcorresponds to the setting information of the linear-velocity set by theinput unit 47 and passed to the computer 13.

Specifically, the servo driver 9 is operative to drive the spindle motor25 according to the linear-velocity command from the DSP 49 to:

turn the recording medium 3 with the set linear velocity being keptconstant (CLV: Constant Linear Velocity); or

turn the recording medium 3 with an angular velocity being kept constantbased on the set liner velocity (CAV: Constant Angular Velocity).

In addition, the servo driver 9 is operative to control the actuator 29based on the tracking error signal and the focusing error signalobtained by the modulator and demodulator 45 to thereby carry out thefocusing position control and the tracking control of the spot light tobe irradiated on a recording track of the recording medium 3.

In the first embodiment, as the light control element 19, the liquidcrystal device with the light transmittance that changes with change incontrol information applied from the computer 13 via the LC driver 38 isused, but the present invention is not limited to the structure.

For example, as a light control element according to the presentinvention, a variable light attenuator with a light attenuationquantity, in other words, a volume of light to be transmittedtherethrough can be used; this light attenuation changes with change ina voltage applied from the computer 13 via a driver. As an example ofthe variable light attenuator, a variable ND (Neutral Density) filter orthe like is used. A polarizer, such as a wavelength plate or a crystalliquid element, and an element designed by a beam splitter can be usedas a light control element according to the present invention.

For example, the polarizer is disposed in place of the light controlelement 19 illustrated in FIG. 2, and the polarizer is used incombination with the beam splitter 21. The structure can constitute alight control element according to the present invention.

According to the structure, an optical axial direction (polarizationdirection) of the polarizer is changed according to control informationapplied from the computer 13 via a driver by a predetermined angle froma polarization direction of the incident laser beam. This allows thebeam splitter 21 to split the laser beam transferred through thepolarizer into a predetermined percent of the laser beam and theremaining percent thereof in light-volume. This can change the lighttransmittance of the incident laser beam transmitted through thepolarizer and the beam splitter 21.

The computer 13 according to the first embodiment is configured to carryout a control task of the LD driver 17 and the light control element 19,a control task of the power adjusting unit 7, a control task of theservo driver 9, an error detecting and/or correcting task in accordancewith programs P loaded to the second memory 13 b.

Next, specific operations of the data recording/reproducing system 1according to the first embodiment will be described with a particularemphasis on the control tasks of the power adjusting unit 7, the LDdriver 17, and the light control element 19 by the computer 13.

In the data recoding/reproducing system 1 according to the firstembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 3 in accordance with at least one of the programs Ploaded in the second memory 13 b.

First, in step S1, the computer 13 carries out a recording-mediumplayback operation while the light transmittance of the light controlelement 19 is set to an initial percentage of 100%.

Note that 100% of the light transmittance of the light control element19 means the light transmittance of the light control element 19 duringno voltage being applied to the light control element 19.

Specifically, as the recording-medium playback operation, the computer13 controls the spindle motor 25 through the DSP 49 and the servo driver9 to thereby:

turn the recording medium 3 at the linear velocity inputted from theinput unit 47 in, for example, the CLV mode;

set the power level of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium3 to a predetermined reproducing power level;

control the sample-hold circuit 35 based on the set reproducing powerlevel during the execution of the APC; and

send, to the LD driver 17, the superimposition control commandindicative of a predetermined current level as the superimposedmagnitude of current (referred to as a superimposed amplitude A1).

Based on the control during the execution of the APC in step S1, thesample-hold circuit 35 samples and holds a value of the monitor signaloutputted from the amplifier 33 and measured by the monitor diode 31,and outputs the held value of the monitor signal, to the APC circuit 37.

At that time, the APC circuit 37 sends, to the LD driver 17, the powercontrol command to substantially match a power level (monitored powerlevel) corresponding to the sampled and held value of the monitor signalwith the reproduction power level.

Based on the power control command sent from the APC circuit 37, the LDdriver 17 controls the drive current (direct current), and superimpose,on the drive current, an intermittent high-frequency current Iout1 withthe superimposed amplitude A1 corresponding to the superimpositioncontrol command indicative of the superimposed magnitude of current. TheLD driver 17 provides the intermittent high-frequency current to the LDunit 15 to thereby drive the LD unit 15. For example, the intermittenthigh-frequency current Iout1 is in the form of a sine wave with itspositive duty (on-duty) being less than 50%. This causes the LD unit 15to output the high-frequency superimposed laser beam having the on-dutyless than 50%.

As a result, the high-frequency superimposed laser beam is irradiated onthe recorded signals written to a recording track of the recordingmedium 3 by operations of the optical pickup unit 5. The power of thelaser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 is substantially keptconstant at the reproducing power level by the APC control.

Light reflected from a corresponding one of the recorded signals basedon the irradiated laser beam is detected through the receiver 30 as theRF signal by operations of the optical pickup unit 5. The RF signal isdecoded by the modulator and demodulator 45 as reproduction data(bit-string data) of the ECC blocks, and thereafter, the reproductiondata is sent to the computer 13. After the error-correcting task hasbeen applied to the reproduction data, the reproduction data isoutputted to an information output device or the like via the buffer 43and the interface 41.

In parallel with the operation in step S1, the computer 13 monitors thelinear velocity of the recording medium 3 from the servo driver 9, anddetermines whether the monitored liner velocity is equal to or greaterthan a predetermined velocity in step S2.

The predetermined velocity is set to a velocity by which a time requiredto pass through a minimum run length is close to the period of theintermittent high-frequency current Iout1. The predetermined velocitywill be referred to as “threshold velocity” hereinafter.

When a result of the determination in step S2 is NO, that is, themonitored linear velocity is less than the threshold velocitycorresponding to the minimum run length, the computer 13 determines thata recorded signal does not pass through the scanning position of thelaser beam during a laser-beam off period, terminating the operations.

Otherwise, when the result of the determination in step S2 is YES, thatis, the monitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than thethreshold velocity, the computer 13 determines that a recorded signalmay pass through the scanning position of the laser beam during alaser-beam off period. In other words, the computer 13 determines thatthe readout of a recorded signal by the laser beam may be impossible,proceeding to step S3.

In step S3, the computer 13 controls the voltage applied to the lightcontrol element 19 via the LC driver 38 while executing the APC control(sampling-on control), that is, while maintaining constant the power ofthe laser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 to thereby reducethe light transmittance of the light control element 19 to a presetvalue, such as 50%.

Note that 50% of the light transmittance of the light control element 19means that the percentage of the monitored power level during control ofthe voltage being applied to the light control element 19 to themonitored power level during no voltage being applied thereto (100% ofthe light transmittance) becomes substantially 50%.

The reduction in the light transmittance of the light control element 19and the APC control (the irradiated-power constant control) allow theoutput power of the laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 toincrease.

In parallel with the operation in step S3 or before and after theoperation in step S3, the computer 13 sends, to the LD driver 17, asuperimposition reducing command to change the superimposed amplitude A1to a superimposed amplitude A2 lower than the superimposed amplitude A1as the superimposition control command in step S4.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17 reduces the amplitude A1of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout1 to the amplitude A2corresponding to the superimposition reducing command. As a result, itis possible to continuously maintain the level of the high-frequencysuperimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on (exceeding anoff level) (see the superimposition magnitude setting function F1 inFIG. 1).

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a relationship among:

the intermittent high-frequency current Iout1 to be superimposed on thedrive current Id from the APC circuit 37 in steps S1 to S4;

the intermittent high-frequency current Iout2 to be superimposed on thedrive current Id from the APC circuit 37 in steps S1 to 54;

a laser-beam output Po1 outputted from the LD unit 15 and correspondingto the intermittent high-frequency current Iout1; and

a laser-beam output Po2 outputted from the LD unit 15 and correspondingto the intermittent high-frequency current Iout2. Note that referencecharacter Ith in FIG. 4 represents a threshold level. The LD unit 15 isconfigured to start laser-beam output when the drive current to be givento the LD unit 15 exceeds the threshold level Ith.

Specifically, as a result of the determination in step S2, when themonitored liner velocity is less than the threshold velocitycorresponding to the minimum run length (NO in step S2), thehigh-frequency current Iout1 with the amplitude A1 is continuouslysuperimposed on the drive current from the APC circuit 37. For thisreason, it is possible to set the output waveform of the laser beam Pooutputted from the LD unit 15 to the output waveform Po1 that isintermittently turned on relative to the laser-beam off level, in otherwords, to change the laser beam Po to a multimode laser beam. Thisresults in reducing external feedback noise during reproduction.

In contrast, as a result of the determination in step S2, when themonitored liner velocity is equal to or greater than the thresholdvelocity corresponding to the minimum run length (YES in step S2), asclearly understood by comparison between recorded signals and thelaser-beam output waveform Po1, a recorded signal may pass through thescanning position of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period.

At that time, in the first embodiment, the amplitude A1 of thehigh-frequency current Iout1 is reduced to the amplitude A2 while thepower of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 issubstantially maintained at the reproduction power level, and thehigh-frequency current Iout2 with the amplitude A2 is superimposed onthe drive current.

As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 4, it is possible to set the outputwaveform of the laser beam Po outputted from the LD unit 15 to theoutput waveform Po2; this output waveform Po2 has a constant levelhigher than the laser-beam off level, and its average value (averagelevel) corresponding to the drive current from the APC circuit 37 isunchanged from that of the output waveform Po1 of the laser beam.

Accordingly, referring to FIG. 4, the recorded signals each pass throughthe scanning position of the laser beam during the laser-beam outputbeing on at all times, making it possible to reliably read edges of eachof the recorded signals, that is, edges of each of the recorded marks.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period, the reduction inthe superimposed magnitude of the intermittent high-frequency current onthe drive current of the LD unit 15 according to the change in thereproducing linear velocity can reliably read the recorded signals.

As a result, it is possible to provide the data recording/reproducingsystem 1 that, while improving the reproduction performance withincrease in the reproducing linear velocity, reduces the effect of theexternal feedback noise due to the increase in the quantity of theoutputted laser beam, prevents the increase in the power of the laserbeam on the recording medium 3, and prevents the skip of a recordedsignal.

Moreover, according to the first embodiment, the laser beam isintermittently turned on and off through the LD unit 15 while the powerof the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 is substantiallymaintained at a constant level. This makes it possible to prevent therecording layer of the recording medium 3 from being deteriorated.

According to the first embodiment, the reduction in the superimposedmagnitude of the intermittent high-frequency current on the drivecurrent of the LD unit 15 depending on the change in the reproducingliner velocity of the recording medium 3 reduces undesired radiation dueto the high-frequency current.

Note that, in step S4 illustrated in FIG. 3, the computer 13 sends, tothe LD driver 17, a superimposition reducing command to change thesuperimposed amplitude A1 of the intermittent high-frequency currentIout1 to a superimposed amplitude A2 lower than the superimposedamplitude A1 as the superimposition control command. The presentinvention is however not limited to the structure.

Specifically, in step S4 illustrated in FIG. 3, the computer 13 cansend, to the LD driver 17, a superimposition reducing command to set thesuperimposed amplitude A1 of the intermittent high-frequency currentIout1 to zero as the superimposition control command, in other words, tocancel the superimposition of the intermittent high-frequency current onthe drive current.

The LD driver 17 provides, to the LD unit 15, the drive current withoutbeing changed, in other words, without superimposing an intermittenthigh-frequency current on the drive current to thereby drive the LD unit15.

As described above, according to the modification, even if thereproducing linear velocity is so set to a desired velocity that arecorded signal may pass through the scanning position of the laser beamin a laser-beam off period, setting of the superimposed magnitude of theintermittent high-frequency current to zero can reliably read therecorded signals.

As a result, as well as the first embodiment, it is possible to providethe data recording/reproducing system 1 that, while improving thereproduction performance with increase in the reproducing linearvelocity, reduces the effect of the external feedback noise due to theincrease in the quantity of the outputted laser beam, prevents theincrease in the power of the laser beam on the recording medium 3, andprevents the skip of a recorded signal.

The modification also can prevent the recording layer of the recordingmedium 3 from being deteriorated.

Second Embodiment

A data recording/reproducing system according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe corresponding drawings. Note that the hardware structural elementsof the data recording/reproducing system according to the secondembodiment is substantially identical to those of the datarecording/reproducing system 1 according to the first embodiment. Forthis reason, like reference characters are assigned to the identicalelements in the data recording/reproducing systems according to thefirst and second embodiments so that descriptions of the elements of thedata recording/reproducing system of the second embodiment will beomitted or simplified.

In the data recoding/reproducing system according to the secondembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 5 in place of in FIG. 3 in accordance with at leastone of the programs P loaded in the second memory 13 b.

As well as the operations in steps S1 and S2, the computer 13 carriesout: the operation to determine the initial percentage of the lighttransmittance of the light control element 19, the operation to playbackthe recording medium 3, and the operation to determine whether the linervelocity is equal to or greater than the threshold velocity (see stepsS10 and S11 in FIG. 5).

By the recording-medium playback operation, the LD driver 17 controlsthe drive current, and superimposes, on the drive current, theintermittent high-frequency current Iout1 with the superimposedamplitude A1 corresponding to the superimposition control command.

By the recording-medium playback operation, the LD driver 17 providesthe intermittent high-frequency current to the LD unit 15 to therebydrive the LD unit 15. This causes the LD unit 15 to output themultimode-modulated laser beam having the on-duty less than 50%.

The high-frequency superimposed laser beam is irradiated on the recordedsignals written to a recording track of the recording medium 3 byoperations of the optical pickup unit 5. The power of the laser beamirradiated on the recording medium 3 is substantially kept constant atthe reproducing power level by the APC control.

Light reflected from a corresponding one of the recorded signals basedon the irradiated laser beam is detected through the receiver 30 as theRF signal by operations of the optical pickup unit 5. The RF signal isdecoded by the modulator and demodulator 45 as reproduction data(bit-string data) of the ECC blocks, and thereafter, the reproductiondata is sent to the computer 13.

At that time, when a result of the determination in step S11 is YES,that is, the monitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than thethreshold velocity, the computer 13 determines that a recorded signalmay pass through the scanning position of the laser beam during alaser-beam off period. In other words, the computer 13 determines thatthe readout of a recorded signal by the laser beam may be impossible,proceeding to step S12.

In step S12, the computer 13 computes an error rate as a reproducingcharacteristic based on the reproduction data of an ECC block sentthereto. Moreover, in step S12, the computer 13 determines whether thecomputed error rate is equal to or greater than a predeterminedthreshold value that is a criterion of determination of whether thereproducing of the corresponding ECC block is difficult.

Note that the reproducing characteristic according to the secondembodiment is an index for evaluating the reproduction data obtained bythe record and reproduction data processing unit 11 and the computer 13.For example, in the second embodiment, the percentage of PI errorrepresenting the number of error bytes in all of the rows of each ECCblock, which corresponds to the division of the number of error bytes bythe number of normal bytes in each ECC block, is used as the reproducingcharacteristic.

When a result of the determination in step S12 is NO, that is, the errorrate is less than the predetermined threshold value, the computer 13determines that the corresponding ECC block can be reproduced,proceeding to step S15. As a result, the reproduction data of thecorresponding ECC block is outputted to an information output device orthe like via the buffer 43 and the interface 41.

When a result of the determination in step S12 is YES, that is, theerror rate is equal to or greater than the predetermined thresholdvalue, the computer 13 determines that the readout of a recorded signalby the laser beam is impossible due to the monitored linear velocitybeing equal to or greater than the threshold velocity so that the errorrage is equal to or greater than the threshold value whereby thereproducing of the corresponding ECC block is difficult, proceeding tostep S13.

In step S13, like the operation in step S3 of FIG. 3, the computer 13controls the voltage applied to the light control element 19 via the LCdriver 38 while executing the APC control (sampling-on control), thatis, while maintaining constant the power of the laser beam irradiated onthe recording medium 3 to thereby reduce the light transmittance of thelight control element 19 to a preset value, such as 50%.

The reduction in the light transmittance of the light control element 19and the APC control (the irradiated-power constant control) allow theoutput power of the laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 toincrease.

In parallel with the operation in step S13 or before and after theoperation in step S13, the computer 13 sends, to the LD driver 17, asuperimposition reducing command to change the superimposed amplitude A1to the superimposed amplitude A2 lower than the superimposed amplitudeA1 as the superimposition control command in step S14.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17 reduces the amplitude A1of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout1 to the amplitude A2corresponding to the superimposition reducing command. As a result, itis possible to continuously maintain the level of the high-frequencysuperimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on (see FIG. 4).

After the completion of the operation in step S14 or when a result ofthe determination in step S12 is NO, that is, the corresponding ECCblock can be reproduced, the computer 13 proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the computer 13 computes the output power of the laser beamoutputted from the LD unit 15 based on the monitor signal sent from themonitor diode 31 via the amplifier 33 and/or on the value of the drivecurrent on which the intermittent high-frequency current is superimposedgiven to the LD unit 15 from the LD driver 17. Then, the computer 13determines whether the computed output power reaches threshold powerthat has a predetermined percent margin to the rated power of the LDunit 15 in step S15.

When a result of the determination is NO, that is, the output power ofthe laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 is less than the thresholdpower of the LD unit 15, the computer 13 returns to step S12.

At that time, the high-frequency superimposed laser beam outputted fromthe LD unit 15 with its level being on by the operation in step S14 isirradiated again on a plurality of recorded marks corresponding to therecorded signals written to a recording track of the recording medium 3.The power of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 issubstantially kept constant at the reproducing power level by the APCcontrol.

Light reflected from a corresponding one of the recorded signals basedon the irradiated laser beam is detected again through the receiver 30as the RF signal by operations of the optical pickup unit 5. The RFsignal is decoded by the modulator and demodulator 45 as reproductiondata (bit-string data) of the ECC blocks, and thereafter, thereproduction data is sent to the computer 13.

The computer 13 computes the error rate as the reproducingcharacteristic based on the reproduction data of an ECC block sentthereto, and determines whether the computed error rate is equal to orgreater than the predetermined threshold value (see step S12).

Specifically, the computer 13 repeatedly carries out the operations insteps S12 to S15 until the determination in step S12 is NO (the errorrate is less than the predetermined threshold value) or thedetermination in step S15 is YES (the output power of the laser beamreaches the threshold power). The operations in steps S12 to S15include: the comparison and determination operation for the error ratewith respect to the threshold value, the light-transmittance reducingoperation, the superimposition magnitude reducing operation via the LDdriver 17, and the comparison and determination operation for the outputpower of the laser beam with respect to the threshold power.

When the determination in step S12 is NO (the error rate is less thanthe threshold value), it is determined that:

an increase in the output power of the laser beam, while the level ofthe multimode-modulated laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 iscontinuously on and the power of the laser beam irradiated on therecording medium 3 is substantially kept constant, causes the error rateof the corresponding ECC block to be improved to a reproducible value.

This results in that the reproduction data of the corresponding ECCblock is outputted to an information output device or the like via thebuffer 43 and the interface 41.

When the determination in step S15 is NO after the determination in stepS12 has been NO, the computer 13 returns to step S12, and repeatedlycarries out the operations in steps S12 to S15 for a next ECC block tobe reproduced.

In addition, when the determination in step S15 is YES, that is, theoutput power of the laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 reaches thethreshold power after completion of the operation in step S14, it isdifficult to increase the output power of the laser beam outputted fromthe LD unit 15 by reducing the light transmittance of the light controlelement. For this reason, the computer 13 repeatedly carries out theoperations in steps S12 to S15 (ECC-block regenerating process) whilemaintaining the light transmittance of the light control element 19 atan actual value in step S16.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period so that the errorrate is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold valuerepresenting the difficulty in reproducing, the reduction in the lighttransmittance of the light control element 19 with increasing outputpower of the laser beam allows the superimposed magnitude of theintermittent high-frequency current on the drive current of the LD unit15 to be reduced according to the change in the reproducing linearvelocity while maintaining the power of the laser beam irradiated on therecording medium 3 at a constant level.

The reduction in the superimposed magnitude of the intermittenthigh-frequency current on the drive current of the LD unit 15 allows therecorded signals to be reliably read. As a result, it is possible toprovide the data recording/reproducing system 1 that, while improvingthe reproduction performance with increase in the reproducing linearvelocity, reduces the effect of the external feedback noise due to theincrease in the quantity of the outputted laser beam, prevents theincrease in the power of the laser beam on the recording medium 3, andprevents the skip of a recorded signal.

Moreover, according to the second embodiment, the reduction in thesuperimposed magnitude of the intermittent high-frequency current on thedrive current of the LD unit 15 is reduced depending on the change inthe reproducing liner velocity of the recording medium 3 reducesundesired radiation due to the high-frequency current.

FIG. 6 is a graph (reference character G1) representing one examplerelationship between reproducing linear-velocity variation anderror-rate variation obtained by reproducing data recorded on a Blu-rayDisc used as the recording medium 3 with the use of the operations insteps S10 to S16.

Note that, in the graph illustrated in FIG. 6, the horizontal axisrepresents multiple variations in the reproducing linear velocity (1 is1×, 2 is 2×, . . . ), and the vertical axis represents the variations inthe error rate.

In FIG. 6, reference character G2 represents one example relationshipbetween reproducing linear-velocity variation and error-rate variationobtained by reproducing data recorded on a Blu-ray Disc used as therecording medium 3 with the use of the simple high-frequencysuperimposing method described in the Background Art. In FIG. 6,reference character G3 represents one example relationship betweenreproducing linear-velocity variation and error-rate variation obtainedby reproducing data recorded on a Blu-ray Disc used as the recordingmedium 3 without using such high-frequency superimposing.

As apparent from FIG. 6, reproducing of data recorded on the Blu-rayDisc while the reproducing linear velocity is changed with the use ofthe operations in steps S10 to S16 permits the effective reduction inthe increasing rate of the error rate with respect to the variations inthe reproducing linear velocity as compared with the other reproducingmethods.

Note that, in the second embodiment, as well as the modification of thefirst embodiment, in step S5 of FIG. 5, the computer 13 can send, to theLD driver 17, a superimposition reducing command to set the superimposedamplitude of the intermittent high-frequency current to zero as thesuperimposition control command. This can obtain the same effect as themodification of the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment

A data recording/reproducing system according to a third embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe corresponding drawings. Note that the hardware structural elementsof the data recording/reproducing system according to the thirdembodiment is substantially identical to those of the datarecording/reproducing system 1 according to the first embodiment. Forthis reason, like reference characters are assigned to the identicalelements in the data recording/reproducing systems according to thefirst and third embodiments so that descriptions of the elements of thedata recording/reproducing system of the third embodiment will beomitted or simplified.

In the data recoding/reproducing system according to the thirdembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 7 in place of in FIG. 3 in accordance with at leastone of the programs P loaded in the second memory 13 b.

First, while setting the light transmittance of the light controlelement 19 to a desired percentage, such as the initial percentage of100%, the computer 13 carries out the operation to playback therecording medium described in step S1 of FIG. 3 in step S20. Next, thecomputer 13 carries out the operation to determine whether the linervelocity is equal to or greater than the threshold velocity described instep S2 of FIG. 3 in step S21.

When a result of the determination in step S21 is YES, that is, themonitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than the thresholdvelocity, the computer 13 determines that a recorded signal may passthrough the scanning position of the laser beam during a laser-beam offperiod. In other words, the computer 13 determines that the readout of arecorded signal by the laser beam may be impossible, proceeding to stepS22.

In step S22, the computer 13 sends, to the LD driver 17, asuperimposition reducing command to change the superimposed amplitude A1to the superimposed amplitude A2 lower than the superimposed amplitudeA1 as the superimposition control command in step S22.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17 reduces the amplitude A1of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout1 to the amplitude A2corresponding to the superimposition reducing command. As a result, itis possible to continuously maintain the level of the high-frequencysuperimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on (exceeding theoff level) (see FIG. 4).

As described above, according to the third embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period, the reduction inthe superimposed magnitude of the intermittent high-frequency current onthe drive current of the LD unit 15 according to the change in thereproducing linear velocity allows the recorded signals to be reliablyread.

As a result, it is possible to provide the data recording/reproducingsystem 1 that prevents the skip of a recorded signal while improving thereproduction performance with increase in the reproducing linearvelocity,

Note that, in the third embodiment, as well as the modification of thefirst embodiment, in step S23 of FIG. 7, the computer 13 can send, tothe LD driver 17, a superimposition reducing command to set thesuperimposed amplitude A1 of the intermittent high-frequency currentIout1 to zero as the superimposition control command, in other words, tocancel the superimposition of the intermittent high-frequency current onthe drive current. This can obtain the same effect as the modificationof the first embodiment.

Fourth Embodiment

A data recording/reproducing system according to a fourth embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe corresponding drawings. Note that the hardware structural elementsof the data recording/reproducing system according to the fourthembodiment is substantially identical to those of the datarecording/reproducing system 1 according to the first embodiment. Forthis reason, like reference characters are assigned to the identicalelements in the data recording/reproducing systems according to thefirst and fourth embodiments so that descriptions of the elements of thedata recording/reproducing system of the fourth embodiment will beomitted or simplified.

In the data recoding/reproducing system according to the fourthembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 8 in place of in FIG. 3 in accordance with at leastone of the programs P loaded in the second memory 13 b. In the fourthembodiment, the operations illustrated in FIG. 8 are executed for eachECC block of the recorded data to be reproduced.

First, while setting the light transmittance of the light controlelement 19 to a desired percentage, such as the initial percentage of100%, the computer 13 carries out the operation to playback therecording medium described in step S10 of FIG. 5 in step S30.

Next, the computer 13 carries out the operation to determine whether theliner velocity is equal to or greater than the threshold velocitydescribed in step S11 of FIG. 5 in step S31.

When a result of the determination in step S31 is YES, that is, themonitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than the thresholdvelocity, the computer 13 proceeds to step S32. In step S32, thecomputer 13 carries out the error-rate determining operation withrespect to the predetermined threshold value similar to that in stepS12.

When a result of the determination in step S32 is YES, that is, theerror rate is equal to or greater than the predetermined thresholdvalue, the computer 13 determines that the playback of the correspondingECC block is difficult, proceeding to step S33.

In step S33, the computer 13 carries out the operation to send thesuperimposition reducing command similar to that in step S14.

As set forth above, according to the forth embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period so that the errorrate is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold valuerepresenting the difficulty in reproducing, it is possible to reduce thesuperimposed magnitude of the intermittent high-frequency current on thedrive current of the LD unit 15 according to the change in thereproducing linear velocity.

The reduction in the superimposed magnitude of the intermittenthigh-frequency current on the drive current of the LD unit 15 allows therecorded signals to be reliably read. As a result, it is possible toprovide the data recording/reproducing system 1 that prevents the skipof a recorded signal while improving the reproduction performance withincrease in the reproducing linear velocity.

Note that, in the fourth embodiment, as well as the modification of thefirst embodiment, in step S34 of FIG. 8, the computer 13 can send, tothe LD driver 17, a superimposition reducing command to set thesuperimposed amplitude of the intermittent high-frequency current tozero as the superimposition control command. This can obtain the sameeffect as the modification of the first embodiment.

Fifth Embodiment

A data recording/reproducing system 1A according to a fifth embodimentof the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe corresponding drawings.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic structure of the datarecording/reproducing system 1A according to the fifth embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, an LD driver 17A of the data recording/reproducingsystem 1A has a function F2 in place of the function F1 described in thefirst to fourth embodiments. The function F2 is to set a superimposedfrequency of the order of hundreds of megahertz according to asuperimposition-frequency control command indicative of a superimposedfrequency of current on the drive current sent from the computer 13. Thefunction F2 is also to superimpose, on the drive current, anintermittent high-frequency current with the superimposed frequency onthe controlled drive current. For example, the intermittenthigh-frequency current is in the form of a sine wave with its on-dutybeing less than 50%.

Note that the hardware structural elements except for the LD driver 17Aare substantially identical to those of the data recording/reproducingsystem 1 according to the first embodiment. For this reason, likereference characters are assigned to the identical elements in the datarecording/reproducing systems according to the first and fifthembodiments so that descriptions of the elements of the datarecording/reproducing system of the fifth embodiment will be omitted orsimplified.

In the data recoding/reproducing system according to the fifthembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 10 in place of in FIG. 3 in accordance with at leastone of the programs P loaded in the second memory 13 b.

First, while setting the light transmittance of the light controlelement 19 to the initial percentage of 100% (maintaining the voltagenon-applying state), the computer 13 carries out the recording-mediumplayback operation in step S40.

Specifically, as the recording-medium playback operation, the computer13 controls the spindle motor 25 through the DSP 49 and the servo driver9 to thereby:

turn the recording medium 3 at the linear velocity inputted from theinput unit 47 in, for example, the CLV mode;

set the power level of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium3 to a predetermined reproducing power level;

control the sample-hold circuit 35 based on the set reproducing powerlevel during the execution of the APC; and

send, to the LD driver 17, the superimposition-frequency control commandindicative of a predetermined frequency as the superimposed frequency ofcurrent (referred to as a superimposed frequency f1 of the order ofhundreds of megahertz).

Based on the control during the execution of the APC in step S40, thesample-hold circuit 35 samples and holds a value of the monitor signaloutputted from the amplifier 33 and measured by the monitor diode 31,and outputs the held value of the monitor signal to the APC circuit 37.

At that time, the APC circuit 37 sends, to the LD driver 17, the powercontrol command to substantially match the monitored power levelcorresponding to the sampled and held value of the monitor signal withthe reproduction power level.

Based on the power control command sent from the APC circuit 37, the LDdriver 17 controls the drive current, and superimpose, on the drivecurrent, an intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 with thesuperimposed frequency f1 corresponding to the superimposition-frequencycontrol command indicative of the superimposed frequency of current. TheLD driver 17 provides the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 tothe LD unit 15 to thereby drive the LD unit 15. For example, theintermittent high-frequency current Iout10 is in the form of a sine wavewith its on-duty being less than 50%. This causes the LD unit 15 tooutput the high-frequency superimposed laser beam having the on-dutyless than 50%.

As a result, the high-frequency superimposed laser beam is irradiated onthe recorded signals written to a recording track of the recordingmedium 3 by operations of the optical pickup unit 5. The power of thelaser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 is substantially keptconstant at the reproducing power level by the APC control.

Light reflected from a corresponding one of the recorded signals basedon the irradiated laser beam is detected through the receiver 30 as theRF signal by operations of the optical pickup unit 5. The RF signal isdecoded by the modulator and demodulator 45 as reproduction data(bit-string data) of the ECC blocks, and thereafter, the reproductiondata is sent to the computer 13. After the error-correcting task hasbeen applied to the reproduction data, the reproduction data isoutputted to an information output device or the like via the buffer 43and the interface 41.

In parallel with the operation in step S40, the computer 13 monitors thelinear velocity of the recording medium 3 from the servo driver 9, anddetermines whether the monitored liner velocity is equal to or greaterthan the predetermined velocity in step S41.

When a result of the determination in step S41 is NO, that is, themonitored linear velocity is less than the threshold velocity, thecomputer 13 determines that a recorded signal does not pass through thescanning position of the laser beam during a laser-beam off period,terminating the operations.

Otherwise, when the result of the determination in step S41 is YES, thatis, the monitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than thethreshold velocity, the computer 13 determines that a recorded signalmay pass through the scanning position of the laser beam during alaser-beam off period. In other words, the computer 13 determines thatthe readout of a recorded signal by the laser beam may be impossible,proceeding to step S42.

In step S42, the computer 13 sends, to the LD driver 17, asuperimposition-frequency increasing command to change the superimposedfrequency f1 to a superimposed frequency f2 higher than the superimposedfrequency f1 as the superimposition-frequency control command.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17 increases the frequencyf1 of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 to the frequency f2corresponding to the superimposition-frequency increasing command. As aresult, it is possible to continuously maintain the level of thehigh-frequency superimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on(exceeding an off level) (see the superimposition frequency settingfunction F2 in FIG. 9).

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a relationship among:

the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 to be superimposed on thedrive current Id from the APC circuit 37 in steps S40 to S42;

an intermittent high-frequency current Iout11 to be superimposed on thedrive current Id from the APC circuit 37 in steps S40 to S42;

a laser-beam output Po10 outputted from the LD unit 15 and correspondingto the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10; and

a laser-beam output Po11 outputted from the LD unit 15 and correspondingto the intermittent high-frequency current Iout11.

Specifically, as a result of the determination in step S41, when themonitored liner velocity is less than the threshold velocitycorresponding to the minimum run length (NO in step S41), thehigh-frequency current Iout10 with the frequency f1 is continuouslysuperimposed on the drive current from the APC circuit 37. For thisreason, referring to FIG. 11, it is possible to set the output waveformof the laser beam Po outputted from the LD unit 15 to a multimodewaveform that is synchronize with the high-frequency current Iout10 asthe output waveform Po10. This results in reducing external feedbacknoise during reproduction.

In contrast, as a result of the determination in step S41, when themonitored liner velocity is equal to or greater than the thresholdvelocity corresponding to the minimum run length (YES in step S41), asclearly understood by comparison between recorded signals and thelaser-beam output waveform Po10, a recorded signal may pass through thescanning position of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period.

At that time, in the fifth embodiment, the frequency f1 of thehigh-frequency current Iout10 is increased to the frequency 12 while thepower of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 issubstantially maintained at the reproduction power level, and thehigh-frequency current Iout11 with the frequency f2 is superimposed onthe drive current.

In the fifth embodiment, the superimposed frequency f2 is set such thata period corresponding to the superimposed frequency f2 is shorter thanthe time length corresponding to the minimum run length of the recordedsignals.

As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 11, it is possible to set the outputwaveform of the laser beam Po outputted from the LD unit 15 to theoutput waveform Po11 having the period shorter than the time lengthrequired to pass through the minimum run length of the recorded signalsat the threshold velocity.

Accordingly, referring to FIG. 11, the recorded signals each passthrough the scanning position of the laser beam during the laser-beamoutput being on at all times, making it possible to reliably read therecorded signals.

As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period, the increase inthe superimposed frequency of the intermittent high-frequency current onthe drive current of the LD unit 15 according to the change in thereproducing linear velocity can reliably read the recorded signals.

As a result, it is possible to provide the data recording/reproducingsystem 1A that, while improving the reproduction performance withincrease in the reproducing linear velocity, prevents the skip of arecorded signal.

Sixth Embodiment

A data recording/reproducing system according to a sixth embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe corresponding drawings. Note that the hardware structural elementsof the data recording/reproducing system according to the sixthembodiment is substantially identical to those of the datarecording/reproducing system 1A according to the fifth embodiment. Forthis reason, like reference characters are assigned to the identicalelements in the data recording/reproducing systems according to thefifth and sixth embodiments so that descriptions of the elements of thedata recording/reproducing system of the sixth embodiment will beomitted or simplified.

In the data recoding/reproducing system according to the sixthembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 12 in place of in FIG. 10 in accordance with atleast one of the programs P loaded in the second memory 13 b. In thesixth embodiment, the operations illustrated in FIG. 12 are executed foreach ECC block of the recorded data to be reproduced.

As well as the operations in steps S40 and S41, the computer 13 carriesout: the operation to determine the initial percentage of the lighttransmittance of the light control element 19, the operation to playbackthe recording medium 3, and the operation to determine whether the linervelocity is equal to or greater than the threshold velocity (see stepsS50 and S51 in FIG. 12).

By the recording-medium playback operation, the LD driver 17A controlsthe drive current, and superimposes, on the drive current, theintermittent high-frequency current Iout10 with the superimposedfrequency f1 corresponding to the superimposition-frequency controlcommand. The LD driver 17A provides the intermittent high-frequencycurrent Iout10 to the LD unit 15 to thereby drive the LD unit 15. Thiscauses the LD unit 15 to output the multimode-modulated laser beamhaving the on-duty less than 50%.

The high-frequency superimposed laser beam is irradiated on the recordedsignals written to a recording track of the recording medium 3 byoperations of the optical pickup unit 5. The power of the laser beamirradiated on the recording medium 3 is substantially kept constant atthe reproducing power level by the APC control.

Light reflected from a corresponding one of the recorded signals basedon the irradiated laser beam is detected through the receiver 30 as theRF signal by operations of the optical pickup unit 5. The RF signal isdecoded by the modulator and demodulator 45 as reproduction data of theECC blocks, and thereafter, the reproduction data is sent to thecomputer 13.

At that time, when a result of the determination in step S51 is YES,that is, the monitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than thethreshold velocity, the computer 13 determines that a recorded signalmay pass through the scanning position of the laser beam during alaser-beam off period. In other words, the computer 13 determines thatthe readout of edges of a recorded signal by the laser beam may beimpossible, proceeding to step S52.

In step S52, the computer 13 computes the error rate as the reproducingcharacteristic based on the reproduction data of an ECC block sentthereto. Moreover, in step S52, the computer 13 determines whether thecomputed error rate is equal to or greater than the predeterminedthreshold value.

When a result of the determination in step S52 is YES, that is, theerror rate is equal to or greater than the predetermined thresholdvalue, the computer 13 determines that the reproducing of thecorresponding ECC block is difficult, proceeding to step S53.

In step S53, the computer 13 sends, to the LD driver 17, asuperimposition-frequency increasing command to change the superimposedfrequency f1 to the superimposed frequency f2 lower than thesuperimposed frequency f1 as the superimposition-frequency controlcommand.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17A increases the frequencyf1 of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 to the frequency f2corresponding to the superimposition-frequency increasing command. As aresult, it is possible to continuously maintain the level of thehigh-frequency superimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on(see FIG. 11).

As described above, according to the sixth embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period so that the errorrate is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold valuerepresenting the difficulty in reproducing, it is possible to increasethe superimposed frequency of the intermittent high-frequency current onthe drive current of the LD unit 15 according to the change in thereproducing linear velocity.

The increase in the superimposed frequency of the intermittenthigh-frequency current on the drive current of the LD unit 15 allows therecorded signals to be reliably read. As a result, it is possible toprovide the data recording/reproducing system 1A that, while improvingthe reproduction performance with increase in the reproducing linearvelocity, prevents the skip of a recorded signal as in the fifthembodiment.

FIG. 13 is a graph (reference character G11) representing one examplerelationship between reproducing linear-velocity variation anderror-rate variation obtained by reproducing data recorded on a Blu-rayDisc used as the recording medium 3 with the use of the operations insteps S50 to S53.

Note that, in the graph illustrated in FIG. 13, the horizontal axisrepresents multiple variations in the reproducing linear velocity (1 is1×, 2 is 2×, . . . ), and the vertical axis represents the variations inthe error rate.

In FIG. 13, reference character G12 represents one example relationshipbetween reproducing linear-velocity variation and error-rate variationobtained by reproducing data recorded on a Blu-ray Disc used as therecording medium 3 with the use of the simple high-frequencysuperimposing method described in the Background Art.

As apparent from FIG. 13, reproducing of data recorded on the Blu-rayDisc while the reproducing linear velocity is changed with the use ofthe operations in steps S50 to S53 permits the effective reduction inthe increasing rate of the error rate with respect to the variations inthe reproducing linear velocity as compared with the other reproducingmethod.

Seventh Embodiment

A data recording/reproducing system according to a seventh embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe corresponding drawings. Note that the hardware structural elementsof the data recording/reproducing system according to the seventhembodiment is substantially identical to those of the datarecording/reproducing system 1A according to the fifth embodiment. Forthis reason, like reference characters are assigned to the identicalelements in the data recording/reproducing systems according to thefifth and seventh embodiments so that descriptions of the elements ofthe data recording/reproducing system of the seventh embodiment will beomitted or simplified.

In the data recoding/reproducing system according to the seventhembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 14 in place of in FIG. 10 in accordance with atleast one of the programs P loaded in the second memory 13 b.

Referring to FIG. 14, the computer 10 carries out operations identicalto those in steps S40 and S41.

Specifically, while setting the light transmittance of the light controlelement 19 to the initial percentage of 100% (maintaining the voltagenon-applying state), the computer 13 carries out the recording-mediumplayback operation in step S40, and the liner-velocity determiningoperation in step S41.

When the result of the determination in step S41 is YES, that is, themonitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than the thresholdvelocity, the computer 13 determines that a recorded signal may passthrough the scanning position of the laser beam during a laser-beam offperiod. In other words, the computer 13 determines that the readout of arecorded signal by the laser beam may be impossible, proceeding to stepS60.

In step S60, as well as the operation in step S3 of FIG. 3, the computer13 controls the voltage applied to the light control element 19 via theLC driver 38 while executing the APC control, that is, while maintainingconstant the power of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium3 to thereby reduce the light transmittance of the light control element19 to a preset value, such as 50%. The reduction in the lighttransmittance of the light control element 19 and the APC control (theirradiated-power constant control) allow the output power of the laserbeam outputted from the LD unit 15 to increase.

In parallel with the operation in step S60 or before and after theoperation in step S60, the computer 13 sends, to the LD driver 17A, asuperimposition-frequency increasing command to change the superimposedfrequency f1 to the superimposed frequency f2 as the superimpositioncontrol command in step S42.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17A increases the frequencyf1 of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 to the frequency f2corresponding to the superimposition-frequency increasing command. As aresult, it is possible to continuously maintain the level of thehigh-frequency superimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on(see FIG. 11).

As described above, according to the seventh embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period, the increase inthe superimposed frequency of the intermittent high-frequency current onthe drive current of the LD unit 15 according to the change in thereproducing linear velocity can reliably read the recorded signals.

As a result, it is possible to provide the data recording/reproducingsystem 1A that, while improving the reproduction performance withincrease in the reproducing linear velocity, reduces the effect of theexternal feedback noise and prevents the skip of a recorded signal.

In addition, according to the seventh embodiment, it is possible tointermittently turn the laser beam on and off via the LD unit 15 whilethe power of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium 3 issubstantially kept constant, thus preventing the protective layer of therecording medium 3 from being deteriorated.

Eighth Embodiment

A data recording/reproducing system according to an eighth embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe corresponding drawings. Note that the hardware structural elementsof the data recording/reproducing system according to the eighthembodiment is substantially identical to those of the datarecording/reproducing system 1A according to the fifth embodiment. Forthis reason, like reference characters are assigned to the identicalelements in the data recording/reproducing systems according to thefifth and eighth embodiments so that descriptions of the elements of thedata recording/reproducing system of the eighth embodiment will beomitted or simplified.

In the data recoding/reproducing system according to the eighthembodiment, when reproducing data recorded on the recording tracks ofthe recording medium 3, the computer 13 carries out the operationsillustrated in FIG. 15 in place of in FIG. 10 in accordance with atleast one of the programs P loaded in the second memory 13 b. In theeighth embodiment, the operations illustrated in FIG. 15 are executedfor each ECC block of the recorded data to be reproduced.

Referring to FIG. 15, the computer 10 carries out operations identicalto those in steps S50 and S51 of FIG. 12.

Specifically, while setting the light transmittance of the light controlelement 19 to the initial percentage of 100%, the computer 13 carriesout the recording-medium playback operation in step S50, and theliner-velocity determining operation in step S51.

When a result of the determination in step S51 is YES, that is, themonitored linear velocity is equal to or greater than the thresholdvelocity, the computer 13 determines that the readout of a recordedsignal by the laser beam may be impossible, proceeding to step S52. Instep S52, the computer 13 computes the error rate as the reproducingcharacteristic based on the reproduction data of an ECC block sentthereto. Moreover, in step S52, the computer 13 determines whether thecomputed error rate is equal to or greater than the predeterminedthreshold value.

When a result of the determination in step S52 is YES, that is, theerror rate is equal to or greater than the predetermined thresholdvalue, the computer 13 determines that the reproducing of thecorresponding ECC block is difficult, proceeding to step S60.

In step S60, as well as the operation in step S3 of FIG. 3, the computer13 controls the voltage applied to the light control element 19 via theLC driver 38 while executing the APC control, that is, while maintainingconstant the power of the laser beam irradiated on the recording medium3 to thereby reduce the light transmittance of the light control element19 to a preset value, such as 50%. The reduction in the lighttransmittance of the light control element 19 and the APC control (theirradiated-power constant control) allow the output power of the laserbeam outputted from the LD unit 15 to increase.

In parallel with the operation in step S60 or before and after theoperation in step S60, the computer 13 sends, to the LD driver 17A, asuperimposition-frequency increasing command to change the superimposedfrequency f1 to the superimposed frequency f2 as the superimpositioncontrol command in step S53.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17A increases the frequencyf1 of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 to the frequency f2corresponding to the superimposition-frequency increasing command. As aresult, it is possible to continuously maintain the level of thehigh-frequency superimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on(see FIG. 11).

As described above, according to the eighth embodiment, even if thereproducing linear velocity of the recording medium 3 is so set to adesired velocity that a recorded signal may pass through the scanningposition of the laser beam in a laser-beam off period so that the errorrate is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold valuerepresenting the difficulty in reproducing, the reduction in the lighttransmittance of the light control element 19 with increasing outputpower of the laser beam allows the superimposed frequency of theintermittent high-frequency current on the drive current of the LD unit15 to be increased according to the change in the reproducing linearvelocity while maintaining the power of the laser beam irradiated on therecording medium 3 at a constant level.

The increase in the superimposed frequency of the intermittenthigh-frequency current on the drive current of the LD unit 15 allows therecorded signals to be reliably read. As a result, it is possible toprovide the data recording/reproducing system 1A that, while improvingthe reproduction performance with increase in the reproducing linearvelocity, reduces the effect of the external feedback noise due to theincrease in the quantity of the outputted laser beam, prevents theincrease in the power of the laser beam on the recording medium 3, andprevents the skip of a recorded signal.

Moreover, according to the eighth embodiment, the power of the outputtedlaser beam is increased only when the error rate of the data (an ECCblock) to be reproduced is equal to or greater than the predeterminedthreshold value. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the increasein temperature and/or the increase in current consumption due to theoutputted laser beam.

In the fifth to eight embodiments, according to thesuperimposition-frequency increasing command, the LD driver 17Aincreases the superimposed frequency of the intermittent high-frequencycurrent to be superimposed on the drive current of the LD unit 15, butthe present invention is not limited to the structure.

For example, in the fifth embodiment, the computer 13 has stored in thefirst memory 13 a data representing a frequency characteristic ofcurrent-attenuation associated with current transfer between the LDdriver 17A and the LD unit 15. For example, the current-attenuationfrequency characteristic is a current-attenuation frequencycharacteristic of wiring between the LD driver 17A and the LD unit 15.

At that moment, as step S42A corresponding to step S42, referring toFIG. 16, based on the superimposed frequency increase from the frequencyf1 to the frequency f2, the computer 13 obtains a current attenuationduring current transfer from the LD driver 17A to the LD unit 15 fromthe current-attenuation frequency characteristic data stored in thememory 13 a. Then, the computer 13, as step S42B, sends, to the LDdriver 17A, a correction command indicative of a correction current tocancel the obtained current attenuation in addition to thesuperimposition-frequency increasing command.

While controlling the drive current based on the power control commandsent from the APC circuit 37, the LD driver 17A increases the frequencyf1 of the intermittent high-frequency current Iout10 to the frequency f2corresponding to the superimposition-frequency increasing command. Inaddition, the LD driver 17A increases the amplitude of the intermittenthigh-frequency current Iout10 by the correction current contained in thecorrection command.

As a result, it is possible to continuously maintain the level of thehigh-frequency superimposed laser beam outputted from the LD unit 15 on,and to correct the attenuation of the intermittent high-frequencycurrent being transferred from the LD driver 17A to the LD unit 15.

In the operations identical to the operation in step S42 according tothe other embodiments, the operations in steps S42A and S42B can becarried out.

Note that, in the first to eighth embodiments, as the reproducingcharacteristic that is an index for evaluating the reproduction dataobtained by the record and reproduction data processing unit 11 and thecomputer 13, the PI error rate for each ECC block is used, but thepresent invention is not limited to the structure.

Specifically, various pieces of data that are responsible forreproducing-data evaluating index, such as jitter representing the rateof variation between the reproduction data and a clock extracted fromthe reproduction data, can be used as the reproducing characteristic.

In the first to eighth embodiments, the control task for the lightcontrol element 19 in the optical pickup unit 5, the control task forthe power adjusting unit 7, the control task for the servo driver 9, andthe process associated with the error-detecting and/or error-correctingtasks are configured to be carried out by the computer 13 in accordancewith the corresponding programs P. The present invention is however notlimited to the structure.

Specifically, these tasks can be shared by two or more computers.

In the first to eighth embodiments, the superimposition magnitudesetting function F1 and the superimposition-frequency setting functionF2 can be carried out, as the superimposition magnitude setting processand the superimposition-frequency setting process, by a computercircuit, such as a microcomputer, installed in the LD driver inaccordance with programs externally loaded from, for example, a computeror the like.

In the first to eighth embodiments, when the monitored linear velocityis less than the threshold velocity corresponding to the minimum marklength, the computer 13 determines that the recorded signals can be readby the laser beam, but the present invention is not limited to thestructure.

For example, during the CAV reproduction, the computer 13 cancontinuously monitor the actual reproducing liner velocity via the servedriver 9. This configuration allows, even if the reproducing linearvelocity increases toward the outer periphery of the recording medium 3during the CAV reproduction up to a threshold velocity, such as 3 T, andover, the computer 13 to detect the increase in the reproducing linearvelocity equal to or greater the threshold velocity to thereby carryout:

both the light-transmittance reducing task and the superimpositionmagnitude reducing task;

the magnitude reducing task;

both the light-transmittance reducing task and thesuperimposition-frequency increasing task; or

superimposition-frequency increasing task.

This prevents the skip of a recorded signal.

In the aforementioned embodiments, the monitor diode is arranged on theoptical path of the backside laser beam outputted from the back surfaceopposing the normal output end in the package of the LD unit 15. Themonitor diode is configured to monitor the backside laser beam. Thepresent invention is not however limited to the arrangement. Forexample, the monitor diode can be configured to continuously monitor thepower of part of the laser beam passing through the beam splitter 21 andthe stand-up mirror 23 illustrated in FIG. 2. The monitor diode can bearranged on an optical path between the light control element 19 and theobjective lens 27, or on an optical path branched from an optical systembetween the light control element 19 and the objective lens 27, andconfigured to monitor reflected light on the corresponding optical path.

The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodimentsand their modifications, and can be implemented as variations of theaforementioned embodiments and their modifications within the scope ofthe present invention.

1.-14. (canceled)
 15. An optical recording/reproducing system for reading a recorded signal written to a recording track of a recording medium by light, the light being modulated by a drive signal on which a frequency signal is superimposed, the light being scanned along the recording track at a predetermined scan velocity, the optical recording/reproducing system comprising: a superimposed frequency control unit that controls, based on the scan velocity, a superimposed frequency of the frequency signal on the drive signal, wherein, when the scan velocity is equal to or greater than a threshold velocity set based on a minimum run length of the recorded signal and a modulation period of the output light, the superimposed frequency control unit includes a superimposed frequency increasing unit that increases the superimposed frequency of the frequency signal.
 16. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 15, further comprising: a light source that outputs the light scanned by the predetermined scan velocity; a light-quantity adjusting unit allowed to adjust a quantity of the output light from the light source under external control; a power monitor unit that monitors power of the output light scanned on the recording medium; and a light-quantity control unit that controls, through the light-quantity adjusting unit, the quantity of the output light based on the monitored power by the power monitor unit.
 17. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 16, further comprising a first determining unit that determines whether the scan velocity is equal to or greater than a threshold velocity set based on a minimum run length of the recorded signal and a modulation period of the output light, wherein, when it is determined that the scan velocity is equal to or greater than the threshold velocity by the first determining unit, the light-quantity control unit variably controls the quantity of the output light via the light-quantity adjusting unit while substantially maintaining constant the monitored power by the power monitor unit.
 18. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 15, further comprising a second determining unit that determines whether a value of data indicative of a reproducing characteristic of data reproduced based on the recorded signal is equal to or greater than a threshold value associated with difficulty in reproducing, wherein, when it is determined that value of the data indicative of the reproducing characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value associated with difficulty in reproducing by the second determining unit, the superimposed frequency control unit includes a superimposed frequency increasing unit that increases the superimposed frequency of the frequency signal.
 19. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 18, further comprising a second determining unit that determines whether a value of data indicative of a reproducing characteristic of data reproduced based on the recorded signal is equal to or greater than a threshold value associated with difficulty in reproducing, wherein, when it is determined that the scan velocity is equal to or greater than the threshold velocity by the first determining unit, and when it is determined that value of the data indicative of the reproducing characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value associated with difficulty in reproducing by the second determining unit, the light-quantity control unit includes a light-quantity changing unit that changes the quantity of the output light via the light-quantity adjusting unit while substantially maintaining constant the monitored power by the power monitor unit.
 20. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 19 wherein the data indicative of the reproducing characteristic of the data reproduced based on the recorded signal includes at least one of an error rate and jitter, the error rate representing a percentage of error in the reproduced data, the jitter representing a rate of variation between the reproduced data and a clock extracted from the reproduced data.
 21. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 16, further comprising: a first determining unit that determines whether the scan velocity is equal to or greater than a threshold velocity set based on a minimum run length of the recorded signal and a modulation period of the output light; and a second determining unit that determines whether a value of data indicative of a reproducing characteristic of data reproduced based on the recorded signal is equal to or greater than a threshold value associated with difficulty in reproducing when it is determined that the scan velocity is equal to or greater than the threshold velocity by the first determining unit, wherein, when it is determined that value of the data indicative of the reproducing characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value associated with difficulty in reproducing by the second determining unit, the light-quantity control unit includes a light-quantity changing unit that changes the quantity of the output light via the light-quantity adjusting unit while substantially maintaining constant the monitored power by the power monitor unit, and the superimposed frequency control unit includes a superimposed frequency increasing unit that increases the superimposed magnitude of the frequency signal.
 22. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 15, further comprising a superimposed magnitude control unit that controls a superimposed magnitude of the frequency signal on the drive signal based on a controlled variable of the superimposed frequency of the frequency signal by the superimposed frequency control unit.
 23. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 22, wherein the superimposed magnitude control unit: includes an attenuation frequency characteristic during the frequency signal being transferred; obtains, from the attenuation frequency characteristic, an attenuation of the frequency signal corresponding to the controlled variable of the superimposed frequency by the superimposed frequency control unit; and superimposes, on the drive signal, the frequency signal having a correction superimposed magnitude as the superimposed magnitude, the correction superimposed magnitude correcting the obtained attenuation.
 24. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 15, wherein the light-quantity adjusting unit includes a light transmission element with a light transmittance as a degree of adjustment of the light quantity, the light transmittance being changeable under the external control so as to allow the quantity of the output light to be adjusted.
 25. The optical recording/reproducing system according to claim 16, wherein the output light has a predetermined polarization direction, and the light-quantity adjusting unit includes: a polarizer allowed to change the polarization direction by a predetermined angle under the external control; and a beam splitter that splits the output light transferred through the polarizer into a predetermined percent of the output light and the remaining percent thereof in light-quantity.
 26. A program readable by a computer installed in an optical recording/reproducing system that reads a recorded signal written to a recording track of a recording medium by light, the light being modulated by a drive signal on which a frequency signal is superimposed, the light being scanned along the recording track at a predetermined scan velocity, characterized in that the program instructing the computer to: execute an operation to control, based on the scan velocity, a superimposed frequency of the frequency signal on the drive signal, wherein, when the scan velocity is equal to or greater than a threshold velocity set based on a minimum run length of the recorded signal and a modulation period of the output light, the operation increases the superimposed frequency of the frequency signal.
 27. An optical recording/reproducing method for reading a recorded signal written to a recording track of a recording medium by light, the light being modulated by a drive signal on which a frequency signal is superimposed, the light being scanned along the recording track at a predetermined scan velocity, the optical recording/reproducing method characterized by comprising: controlling, based on the scan velocity, a superimposed frequency of the frequency signal on the drive signal, wherein, when the scan velocity is equal to or greater than a threshold velocity set based on a minimum run length of the recorded signal and a modulation period of the output light, the controlling increases the superimposed frequency of the frequency signal. 